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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mark — a grade
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. degree — temperature
  7. mark — a trace
  8. lean — to bend
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. degree — from a university
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lean — thin
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — a thing
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. object — to protest
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. degree — an amount

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com